Mama Makan can be found located inside the Hyatt Regency in Amsterdam. This restaurant serves up extremely impressive traditional Indonesian cuisine which is both authentic as well as creative.
At Mama Makan, the presentation of each dish is simply picture perfect, making them a complete delight for those looking to share their culinary journey socially. The restaurant itself is very large in size with various different seating options, and their head mama from Indonesia can be seen at the stoves in their open plan kitchen, which is viewable from anywhere in the restaurant.
The staff at Mama Makan are extremely friendly and make you feel very welcome. When we arrived we were greeted warmly and shown to our table, where our server was only too happy to suggest recommendations and ensure that we were comfortable.
We decided to begin our evening with an aperitif as we pondered the menu. I chose a Lemongrass cocktail, which saw Ketel One vodka infused with cardamom and chilli, served with lemongrass, fresh ginger, fresh lemon juice and honey syrup. This was a punchy cocktail that certainly awakened my taste buds; it was absolutely delicious. My partner chose the Cocoa Bean cocktail, which saw a blend of Indonesian Chocolate, coffee and Black Label whisky infusion, mixed with Angostura Bitter and cinnamon tincture.
“Mama Makan offers a memorable dining experience and we enjoyed every mouthful.”
To start our meal, I chose the Ayam Pelalah which saw shredded chicken with chilli and lime. The freshness of the flavours of this dish were amazing, and although it was a relatively simple dish; it was bold in flavour and left me wanting more. My partner chose the Tum Bebek which was steamed minced duck in a banana leaf parcel with kecap manis sauce. This was an extremely tasty dish that came beautifully presented.
For our main courses, I chose the Opor Ayam Java, a rich chicken curry with coconut milk, tomato sambal and acar, which was absolutely delicious. My partner chose the Tongseng Kambing, a lamb stew with spices, tomato and cabbage. This was a real stand-out dish with the lamb simply melting in the mouth, wonderfully accompanied by the richness and sweetness of the tomato sauce. We also added a side of of Nasi Goreng, Indonesian fried rice with egg, chicken, shrimps and satay. This is one of my favourite Indonesian dishes, and Mama Makan failed to disappoint.
Alongside our meal, we enjoyed a bottle of the Terrazas de Los Andes Malbec 2015, Argentina. This wine is incredibly fruity and balanced with vanilla notes for a complex nose; the perfect accompaniment to our rich dishes.
Mama Makan offers a memorable dining experience and we enjoyed every mouthful. We would happily return.
The Bill: £63 per head
